Three journalists. One front page. Only one story leads.

The Lede pulls back the curtain on a process most people never see: how editors weigh impact, timeliness, public interest and audience relevance under pressure, in real time.

In this Media Literacy Week event, presented in partnership with the Toronto Public Library, three journalists from The Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper, will each pitch the story they believe deserves the lead position in tomorrow’s news: deputy head of investigations Robyn Doolittle, politics and economy editor Ryan MacDonald and news photo editor Solana Cain. Editor-in-chief David Walmsley will question their assumptions, challenge their reasoning and make the final call, live, in front of the audience.

The audience does not just watch. Before Walmsley announces his decision, they vote on which story should lead, then see how their judgment compares with his.

Join us for a chance to understand not just what the news is, but how it gets made, and to walk away a sharper, more critical reader of it.

Ticket registration for this event is required.

Speaker Bios:

David Walmsley

David Walmsley is The Globe and Mail’s editor-in-chief and the current president of the World Editors Forum. He is the co-creator of World News Day, a global day of education involving more than 1,000 publishers across 100 countries explaining the role of journalism and how it can make the world a better place. Under his editorship, The Globe has won the annual Canadian Michener Award for meritorious public service journalism five times and has dominated the annual National Newspaper Awards.

Robyn Doolittle

Robyn Doolittle is the deputy head of investigations at The Globe and Mail. Doolittle came to The Globe in 2014 to join the investigative unit. After a decade on the i-Team, she spent time in the Report on Business covering corporate law. She has investigated political and business corruption, a series of shootings and arsons targeting Canadian waste giant GFL, the Hockey Canada scandal, gender inequities in the workforce and Canada’s broken freedom of information system as part of the Secret Canada project. Her two books, “Had It Coming – What’s Fair In The Age of #MeToo?,” and “Crazy Town: The Rob Ford Story,” were both national bestsellers.

Ryan MacDonald

Ryan MacDonald is the editor of politics and economy at The Globe and Mail, leading a talented team of reporters covering the intersection of business and economic policy, including energy, finance, trade and fiscal matters. Since joining The Globe in 2007, MacDonald has held multiple editorial positions and was notably part of the team that won the 2022 CJF Climate Solutions Reporting Award for its narrative-shifting stories on how to re-engineer Canada’s economy to adapt to and capitalize on climate change. Prior to joining The Globe, MacDonald served as the national editor at the Ottawa Citizen.

Solana Cain

Solana Cain is a senior visuals editor at The Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper. She joined The Globe through the 2019 summer program, quickly distinguishing herself as a perceptive and composed photo editor. In 2020, Cain helped establish Room Up Front, a mentorship initiative supporting BIPOC photojournalists. The program received a special citation at the 2023 National Newspaper Awards for its significant contribution to Canadian journalism. A dedicated mentor and educator, she actively advises emerging photographers and lectures at Toronto Metropolitan University, Sheridan College, and Loyalist College.